All The Write Stuff: When Plans Go Awry

Sometimes you have to lose everything to find what you truly need

When Plans Go Awry

Best-laid Plans Book 1

by Denise M. Colby

Genre: Historical Christian Romance

Olivia Carmichael escapes her past to become the next schoolmarm in the small ranching community of Washton, California. Her plan? Live a quiet spinster life alone, never to depend on anyone again.

Luke Taylor selected a mail-order bride to help raise his two younger sisters and protect his broken heart. His plans don’t include being responsible for the beautiful new schoolmarm, who threatens his resolve between his need to stay away and his need to ensure her safety.

Along the way, Olivia’s carefully laid-out plans are challenged at every turn, and Luke’s mail-order bride is not what he expected.

With the help of the entire town and its wily rooster, can Luke and Olivia learn to trust again?

EXCERPT

Cutting through the station, he dodged folks coming and going on that newly arrived passenger train while remnants of smoke puffed out the smokestack. A group of ladies descended and moved straight across the platform, chattering and oblivious to those around them.

A young boy darted in his path. Luke jerked to the left. “Whoa!”

“Sorry, sir,” the boy called as he ran away.

Luke acknowledged the apology and then observed his surroundings.

A young lady stood at the exit of the passenger car. Loose strands of blonde hair blew around her face, but she didn’t swipe them away. Instead, her eyes darted back and forth before she set her things at the top of the steps.

Why did she pause? Did she need help? A strange protectiveness surged inside him.

She closed her eyes, tilted her head back, and a small smile spread across her lips.

An unbidden awareness engulfed him as everything around him faded into the background except her. Would Evelyn glow like this woman? He swallowed, smothering the spark that struck his heart. He wanted none of this awareness floating through his veins. What he wanted was a wife to manage his home and help raise his sisters, not a pretty lady who would drive him to distraction.

He forced himself to move but couldn’t help watching her out of the corner of his eye. Sweat broke out on his forehead. If Evelyn looked anything like this woman, he’d indeed be distracted.

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Book Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/When-Plans-Awry-Best-laid-Book-ebook/dp/B0D391PZ35

ScriveningsPress: https://scriveningspress.com/book/when-plans-go-awry/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/when-plans-go-awry-best-laid-plans-book-1-by-denise-m-colby

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/210207661-when-plans-go-awry

About the Author

Passionate about all types of stories—whether they are from songs, theatre, movies, or novels—Denise M. Colby loves history and constantly finds herself contemplating how it was to live in the 1800’s. Combining her love of learning about history, and reading, Denise writes Christian historical romance novels. Her first novel, When Plans Go Awry, is the first novel in her Best-laid Plans series.

Born and raised in Northern California, Denise moved to Southern California for college and to dance in the parades at Disneyland, where she met her husband thirty years ago. A mother to three boys and soon to be daughter-in-love, Denise loves to read, watch movies with her family, sing 80’s and musical songs, tap dance, and spend date nights with her husband at ‘The Happiest Place on Earth’. She treasures the written word and the messages that can be conveyed when certain words are strung together. An avid journal writer, Denise usually can be found with a pen and notepad whenever she’s reading God’s word.

Every year Denise chooses a word to focus on. She shares her learnings about that word throughout the year on the two blogs she writes for. Sign up for her newsletter or you can follow Denise on her social media or visit those blogs by clicking on the links below.

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